Oil-can



(NoMoael.) f F. L. CLARK.

` OIL GAN. 4 No. 251,832. Patented Jan; 3,1882.

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, UNiTED STATES 4PATi-:iwr @estereo rnANcis'L. CLARK, on snwioknnv, PENNSYLVANIA.

0in-CAN.

SPECIFICIATION'` forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,832, dated January 3, 1882.

Application filed June 6, 1881. (No model.)

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS L. CLARK, of Sew-ickley borough, count-yet Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and usei'ul Improvement in Oil-Gans;

and I do hereby declare the f'ollowing to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-like letters indicating like parts- Figure lis a perspective view otI4 an oil-can embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of' the same.

With oil-cans as ordinarily constructed, having a fixed or inflexible discharge-nozzle, considerable difficulty is experienced, when filling lamps therefrom,in preventin govertlow or spilling of oil, especially with cans of large size or when full, or nearly full, of' oil. Such overflow' or wastage is especially liable to occur when the can is first tipped forpouring, and also when pouring is arrested,and it causes much annoyance, inconvenience, and frequent damage, particularly when the duty ot' filling lamps devolves upon ordinary house-servants.

The purpose of' my invention is to avoid the trouble and inconvenience inc-ident to the use of oil-cans with rigid or fixed discharge-nozzles, and this I do by connecting the discharge nozzle or tube to the body or reservoir of the can at or near the bottom of' the latter by a fiexible rubber tube, and providing means for moving and securing such nozzle or tube, whereby its discharge en d may be raised above the level of oil in the can to arrest discharge or lowered more or less below the level of the oil to permit discharge without tipping or moving the body of' the can.

In the drawings, A represents an oil-can body, of the usual f'orm and construction, em-

ployed for holding illuminating-oil for household ordomestic use. Near the bottom of' such can-body is made a discharge-opening, et, with a shoit pipe end, ci', extending therefrom. A discharge tube or nozzle, B, of' tin or other suitable material, is connected with pipe a by a fiexible rubber tube, b. The ends of this rub-` ber tube are fitted tightly onto thepipe a and onto the end b ofthe nozzle, respectively. To secure these parts against leakage and prevent them from being pulled apart, thc pipe ends a,"

and b may be corrugated or roughened circumferentiallyin the usual or any desired manner, 'and the hose ends may be wrapped exteriorly with wire, as at e, to bind them tightly upon thepipe ends; also, as a guard to the outer end of the rubber'tube, a flange or cap, e', is provided on the lower end oftube B, which both covers and protects the tube end and gives the connection a more finished appearance. The length of discharge-tube B is, by preference, equal to or a little greater than the height of' the can-body A, so that when raised to vertical position, as in-Fig. 1, its upper end may be a little above the top of the can, and thereby prevent fiow of oil from the can. In order to raise the discharge-tube to such vertical position, I make use of' a wire spring, C, the center or loop of which is passed under or around the tube, as at c. Toward the two ends the wire is coiled, as at c', and its extremities are rigidly fastened to the can-body by solder or otherwise, as at o?. Such a spring can be made with tritlingexpense, and is well adapted to the purpose mentioned, having a considerable range or extent of motion and uniformity of action. Such a spring both insures the immediate raising of' the tube and stoppage of How of' oilas soon as the tube is released, and it also causes the tube or nozzle to retain the same plane of motion, and thereby assists materally in directing the same as it is pulled or brought down for drawing oft' oil.

In order to prevent accidental depression of the discharge-tube, a hook or catch, D, is `secured to the body of the can, and is extended outward in position to engage the nozzle when raised, as in Fig. l. By a slight backward and sidewise movement the nozzle or tube may be released from the hook and pulled or pressed downward against the. pressure of springC, as in Fig. 2, until its discharge end is below the level of oil in the can, when the oil will ffow steadily and in uniform direction from the nozzle in a convenient manner f'or directing it into a lamp.

The usual caps or stoppers, s s', may be employed for closing the nozzle-opening and also the supply-opening to the body of the can.

An important feature of my invention is the fiexible connection between the can-body and the discharge-tube, and the spring Cl, by which the discharge-tube is held, lifted, and guided.

Iam awarethatit is not new with me to make a hinged, jointed, or flexible connection between a can-body and its discharge-tube, nor to counterweight such a discharge-tube, so as to be raised thereby when released, and 1 do not claim such features of construction, alone considered.

I have found by extended use and tests that a can constructed as shown and described is Well adapted to hold illuminating-oils Without leakage; and in the operation of tilling lamps therefrom, and especially the reservoir of student-lamps, which is held usually in one hand while being lled, my improvedcan possesses many advantages, By drawing oil from the bottom of the can I avoid to a great degree escape of gas, which is liable to accumulate in the upper part of the can. The dischargetube maybe manipulated easily with one hand, While the lamp or other vessel to be filled may be held in the other hand. The oil may be drawn oliI without danger of spilling or overloiv, but slight labor is required, and a large can may be employed instead-of the usual small one Without additional labor or risk in filling a lamp.

I claim herein as my invention-.-

A can for holding illuminating-oil for domestic use, having in combination abody, A,with v of the tube when released and to cause it to move in a given plane, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand.

FRANCIS L. CLARK.

Witnesses:

C. L. PARKER, R. H. WHITTLESEY. 

